In the clip, Bieber is seen saying, "Why are black people afraid of chain saws?" He then answers, "Run n-a, n-a, n-a, n-a," before laughing. The video, which was reportedly shot backstage at a promotional event, was posted to TMZ. The site claims they received the video nearly four years ago but decided against posting it back then because of Bieber's age. They said they also did not post it because he "immediately told his friends what he did was stupid."

Hours after the video went live, Bieber took to Twitter to apologize for the joke. "As a young man, I didn't understand the power of certain words and how they can hurt," he wrote. "I thought it was OK to repeat hurtful words and jokes, but didn't realize at the time that it wasn't funny and that in fact my actions were continuing the ignorance."

In the statement he also writes, "I take my friendships with people of all cultures very seriously and I apologize for offending or hurting anyone with my childish and inexcusable mistake. I was a kid then and I am a man now who knows my responsibility to the world and to not make that mistake again."